'The “something in the way” was Kurt. He felt like he was just something in the way. The song details the time he supposedly lived under a bridge. (He never actually did live under a bridge, but told people that he had.) The song is essentially about being discarded by those around you and made to feel like a burden. It’s a pretty personal song.'
–The Amazing Atheist

Something got hold of me
Oh, yes it did!
I said Something got hold of me
It ratttled around my head...
I went to a meeting last night
But, my heart wasn't right
Something got hold of me
Oh, yes it did!
I said Something got hold of me
It ratttled around my head
Early one morning
On the mourner's bench
My heart it was filled misery
The same god that touched you one day
He laid his hand on me!

She stood at the foot of a cliff so dark
Painted, chalked and cold
She drew a line
With a tearing arm
Over the edge of the skies
Down to hottest depths

She stood at the most blue widths of the ice
Painted, chalked and cold
She carved her sign, her rune
With a tearing arm
A ring around the waters current
Sea beasts and steam rose

She rose up above sky and space
Painted, chalked and warm
A flame ascended from the rocky depths
From her hips, a firestorm

She rose up above sky and space
Painted, chalked and warm
A flame ascended from the rocky depths
From her hips, a firestorm
She became light by the power of the flames
Alone at the throne of space
In all her glory

She carved her sign, her rune
With a tearing arm
A ring around the waters current
Sea beasts and steam rose

Nor here should that image of the river be left without a closer examination; for it appears, no doubt, as if the river had a beginning and an ending; but to those who investigate such things more closely, it becomes manifest that the moisture from the sea is drawn up by the power of the heavenly heat into the clouds, and from thence dispersed upon the mountains, which in turn pour it down in the form of a river along the thirsty plains. So that here too there is neither beginning nor end, although possibly if the drops were as easily deluded as mankind, they might dispute, as they rolled along, which was the more dignified of the number, or which should live the longest, fancying that they had begun to exist when they entered on the river's channel; or again, not knowing that the individuality of each may be decompounded, and the parts severed as they are re-cast into new combinations of particles. Or again, with equal wisdom they might dispute what was life and what death, or which ought to be called the cause, whether the river of the ocean, or the ocean of the dew, and so on.
– Saugata Muni, 'A dialogue of the knowledge of the supreme lord, in which are compared the claims of Christianity and Hinduism, and various questions of Indian religion and literature fairly discussed.'

"While the first official single is called 'Left Of Center', 'Borders Are' was the first thing I wanted to release because it was more about the statement than a first single idea for me. It also did a good job of introducing some of the sonic qualities of the new record, more so than the first single probably.

That said, it definitely makes a bold political statement having to do with borders and our incessant use of them in physical land separation as well as the borders of our mind and hearts
separating each other. It definitely interacts and is timely with things happening in Arizona, things happening in Gaza with the flotilla aid, things happening in North and South Korea with the sinking of the South Korean ship, the denial and allegations, the Kashmir conflict which has existed since the creation of Pakistan . . . . It goes on.
http://www.antiquiet.com/interviews/2010/07/serj-tankian-interview/

"It's a pretty old song. I've had in the vaults for quite a bit of time actually. To me, it's like a poetry of our existence. It talks about nature and spirituality and what we're facing in the times to come in a very poetic way."
http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,6665822,00.html

When people ask me what religion I am, I always say, see that tree outside, go ask the trees the same thing, you know? I believe very firmly that indigenous populations had a really good, intuitive understanding of why we're here. And we're trying to gain that same understanding through psychology and intellect in modern civilization. We're not there. I've been doing an interesting experiment with journalists, that after they interview me, we send them a question from me to answer, which is "What does civilization mean to you, and what would its ending bring to the world?"
-- Serj Tankian

"Those that survive
Connect with all alive
Peace will be returned,
We need to praise you,
Peace will first be revenged."

"And, behold, thusly was the Law formulated;
IMPOSITION of Order = escalation of Disorder!"
H.B.T.; The Gospel According to Fred, 1:6

"We sing to the spirit world so close
Providing our vital life force
Then, we breathe,
We breathe with the breath of I-Ching
With the spirit that moves through all things
Now, we see
Seeing of all that is alive
Will be the way to survive
Life, released"

The I-Ching is also known as the Book of Changes. We breathe with breath of change with the spirit that movies through all things (Brahman/Anima mundi). It's about being the change we wish to see in the world because the world will inevitably change, for better or worse, so make it for better.

How many unconventional deconstructive conversations have led to, "But if we withdraw our troops, the terrorists will bring the war to our soil!" They say when borders are dissolved there will be immense suffering. Anarchy is equated with violence and disarray by those who aim to propagate violence and disarray.

"No one seems to understand that,
We are falling to our knees,
Blindness serves not god nor men,
So we are falling into disease,"

When we turn a blind eye to violence, pretend it's not happening, we are essentially allowing it to continue without question (unconventional deconstructive conversations). We make ourselves part of the disease.

Perhaps 'wailing'? Wilein' is not in the English dictionary, but 'wiling' (cunning behaviour) is. Although, elsewhere I've seen the lyrics interpreted as, "Wielded darkness when he was violent, my eyes, my arms/
And I'm her child and he was the bastard that broke up the marriage", which would seem to make more sense in the context of the song.

Oh the werewolf, the werewolf
Comes stepping along
He don't even break the branches where he's gone
Once I saw him in the moonlight when the bats were flying
Saw the werewolf, and the werewolf was crying
Cryin' nobody, no-o-body, nobody knows
How I loved the man as I teared off his clothes
Cryin' nobody, no-o, nobody knows my pain
When I see that it's risen, that full moon again
For the werewolf, the werewolf, have sympathy
For the werewolf, somebody like you and me
And old eagle told me, Man, this little flute I play
All through the night, until the light of day
What do you play?
For the werewolf, for the werewolf, have sympathy
For the werewolf, somebody like you and me